BBC News with Nick Kelly
President Barack Obama has announced that he will seek authorization from Congress for military action against Syria. Speaking at the White House, Mr. Obama again accused the Syrian government of carrying out a chemical weapon’s attack in Guta on the outskirts of Damascus. But he said it was important to have a debate and a vote on the matter.
“For the last several days we’ve heard from members of Congress who want their voices to be heard. I absolutely agree. So this morning I spoke with all four congressional leaders and they’ve agreed to schedule a debate and then a vote as soon as Congress come back in the session while I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization. I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course and our actions will be even more effective.”
Members of Congress have welcomed President Obama’s decision to seek their backing for military intervention in Syria. The Republican leader in the Senate Mitch McConnell said the president’s role as commander in chief will be strengthened by it. From Washington here is Rajini Vaidyanathan.
We’ve heard from senator Corker on the Senate Foreign Relation’s Committee who says that he’s pleased that the president have listened to the suggestion to bring this issue to Congress, also Eliot Engel from the House Foreign Relation’s Committee who says the president’s made a strong and convincing case to the American people and he’s calling on the speaker to recall the house of back from August recess to have a debate. It is worth noting that the latest opinion polls show that the American public isn’t in favor of any kind of military intervention.
The British Prime Minister David Cameron who suffered a parliamentary defeat on Syria on Thursday said he understood and supported Mr. Obama’s position. Earlier the Russian President Vladimir Putin said US allegations that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons made no sense. Mr. Putin said if the Americans have any evidence, they should present it to the UN Security Council.
“Common sense speaks for itself. The Syrian government forces are on the offensive. In the 13 regions they’ve surrounded the rebels. In these conditions to give away the trump card to those who continue and who called for external military intervention is simply utter folly and does not fit any logic at all. So I’m convinced that it’s nothing more than a provocation by those who want to drag other countries into the Syrian conflict.”
The Syrian government says it’s armed forces are on full alert and ready to face any potential foreign attack. State television quoted the Syrian prime minister Wael al-Halqi as saying that troops had their finger on the trigger and were prepared for any challenge. Some reports said the Syrian army had been moving military equipment to civilian areas in anticipation of possible US-led strikes. BBC correspondent says residents have been stocking up on food.
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Thousands of protesters in Iraq have defied security threats staging demonstrations against what they say a generous privileges and benefits enjoyed by members of parliament. Iraqi politicians are entitled to pension payments of several thousand dollars a month far higher than other workers. The protesters also aired longstanding grievances about widespread corruption and the poor state of public services.
The family of an Indian student who died after being gang raped on a bus in Delhi last December say they are not satisfied with the sentence given to a teenager found guilty of her murder. The man who was 17 at the time was sentenced to three years. This is the maximum sentence he can receive under Indian law because of his age. The victim’s father said the sentence was too lenient.
“I am very disappointed with the verdict. He committed a great crime, he deserves life imprisonment if not death penalty. This was sent a message that every teenage criminal can get away. I have lost fate in our judicial system.”
And an auction house in the English county of Surrey has sold a Daimler V8 limousine for about 70,000 dollars advertised as having had one careful lady owner, Queen Elizabeth. Here is Tom Singleton.
The Queen had taken delivery of the Daimler in 2001. For the next three years it ferried her around her Windsor Castle estate and two in-from engagements in Buckingham Palace. And this most unusual of customers had some very particular requirements. The electrical windows were adapted to avoid the wind blowing in her face too much and following her observation that she had nowhere to put her handbag when accompanied by her lady in waiting, an arm wrest with a special designed bag holder was installed, all of which was enough to persuade its new owner to pay considerably over the odds.